Aggies blow by UK Hoops in second half
February 20, 2015
By Kevin Erpenbeck
At Tennessee, No. 11 UK Hoops head coach Matthew Mitchell spoke about a lack of toughness as a reason why his team lost on Sunday. The Cats gave up 72 points to the Volunteers, which was three more than their points-against season average, allowing 36 to be scored in the paint.
On Thursday against No. 15 Texas A&M, it was worse. The Aggies dominated UK, scoring 52 points in the paint as they cruised to 81-69 win over the Cats.
The keywords for Mitchell this time: hustle and effort.
“It was all hustle plays and a lack of effort for us,” Mitchell said. “We just don’t play nearly as hard as this team is capable of playing. I have to create an environment where hustle is nonnegotiable. Right now, we have people that think it’s ok not to hustle and get beat like this. Just a lack of effort tonight.”
The loss marks the first two-game losing streak for the Cats this season and knocks them into sixth place in the SEC standings.
UK (19-7, 8-5 SEC) had an eight-point lead over Texas A&M (21-6, 9-4 SEC) with seven minutes remaining in the first half. That’s when the Aggies went on a 22-7 run to close out the half and turn the Cats’ lead into a seven-point deficit.
UK never came close to even tying the game after that.
“We started being aggressive in transition in the second half and get in the paint,” said Texas A&M forward Courtney Williams. “We had 20 free throws in the second half, so that tells you that we were getting to the paint, getting fouled and making layups.”
Five Aggies scored in double figures, including Williams, who had 16 points on the night. Junior guard Courtney Walker led the team with 19 points, guard Jordan Jones and forward Achiri Ade had 12 apiece and center Khaalia Hillsman scored 10.
The Cats trailed by double digits three minutes into the second half and were down by 20 with 11:15 remaining in the game. Texas A&M led by as many as 23 with nine minutes left.
“Everybody’s body language and demeanor changed (in the second half),” said UK senior center Azia Bishop. “But that is when we have to turn around and come together and work hard to bring the deficit up.”
UK also had five players score double-digit points, with sophomore point guard Makayla Epps leading the way with 19. But it was the lack of defense and inability to stop the Aggies’ penetration in the paint that doomed the Cats.
And it’s the lack of hustle and effort the team displayed at home that concerns UK’s head coach the most.
“That’s the worst case scenario for us here at Kentucky is not giving great effort,” Mitchell said. “We have to try to regroup here and see if we can start playing some Kentucky basketball. We’re not doing it right now.”
